timing/compression issue - Third Generation Forum

have an 04 cavi with the 2.2 ecotec, the ac compressor has been making noise for the past few months and didn't think much about it and went to put on a short belt today to just bypass the compressor for now. the car started for about a second then died and wont restart, the engine sounds like its lost compression on a few cylinders and theres alot of rattling under the hood now.

got it into the garage and pulled the valve cover and the chain is loose as in i could easily lift it and probably move it on the gear if i tried. so this was obviously more than ac compressor noise lol and im guessing it jumped timing. i drove the car home yesterday and other then slight power loss and surging (thought it was from the seizing ac) it drove 30 miles just fine. parked it and just tried starting it today.

so is the a point to even try a timing set or are the valves going to be shot too? the engine turns over fine just sounds like low compression.

First of all a compression check is certainly in order
You should have a bare minimum of 125 psi with all cylinders within 10% The tensioner in those are hydraulic with oil pressure but I'd be concerned if the coolant has leaked into the oil. The oil pump is driven by the timing chain and in a maxima I owned the pump went , put water in the oil and then the tensioner decided not to work leaving the chain slack and making a lot of noise
If your oil is all of a sudden way over full I'd suspect coolant in the oil .
I've also seen the plastic chain guides wear and break also causing a slack chain ..
hope this helps